Australian wine regions are a popular destination of visitors to Australia, particularly since Australia has developed a robust wine-making reputation with Australian wines found in restaurants, wine bars and shops in many parts of the world. Here's a listing of the more popular Australian wine regions:
Barossa Valley, South Australia
Barossa Valley landscape, courtesy Barossa Grape & Wine Association Inc
The Barossa Valley, within a couple of hours by car from Adelaide, was discovered more than a century and a half ago as having a most appropriate soil and climate for growing wine grapes. Silesian and English pioneers who had migrated to the Barossa Valley found wine-making fruitful and the Barossa has since grown as famous as its wines.
Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
McLaren Vale vineyards in the Fleurieu Peninsula © Fleurieu Pensinsula Tourism / Adam Bruzzone
Closer than the Barossa to Adelaide city is the wine region around McLaren Vale in the Fleurieu Peninsula which is less than an hour away by coach or car. In the McLaren Vale area alone are more than 20 wineries. If you include Reynella, Willunga and Langhorne Creek in the region, there'd be more than 50.
Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Wine tasting at a Hunter Valley winery © Tourism New South Wales
Some two to three hours by car from Sydney, the plains and rolling terrain of the Hunter Valley produce some of the finest semillon and shiraz wines which are a great accompaniment to leisurely dining. With more than 70 Hunter Valley wineries in the area, you may need more than a Sydney daytrip to visit them all in a day and taste their wines as well.
Margaret River, Western Australia
Wine tasting among the vines at Margaret River © Tourism Western Australia
The Margaret River region's Mediterranean climate is conducive to the growing of high-quality table wine grapes. Along the valley, a number of commercial vineyards produce high-quality table wines, many of which are exported to many parts of the world. Wine tours are available from Perth and Margaret River.
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Dining at a Mornington Peninsula vineyard © Tourism Victoria
The Mornington Peninsula wine region is known for its chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as shiraz and the lesser known varieties of viognier and pinot gris. Other wine varieties grown in the region include cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and riesling. It's an easy drive from Melbourne to the vineyards and wineries of the peninsula.
Mudgee, New South Wales
Mudgee vineyards © Tourism New South Wales
Riverland, South Australia
Wine tasting in Riverland © SATC / Peter Fisher
Riverland is a land of fruit trees and vineyards, and is Australia's largest wine-producing region if not, arguably, as well known as the Barossa, also in South Australia, or the Hunter in New South Wales. There are a number of large winemakers in Riverland whose labels are popular throughout the country.
Yarra Valley, Victoria
Going on a picnic at Yarra Valley © Tourism Victoria
At 50 kilometres from Melbourne to Healesville, Victoria's Yarra Valley wine region is the closest to the Victorian capital, hence a popular daytrip destination. The wine region is almost completely circumscribed by the triangle formed by Maroondah Highway, Melba Highway and Healesville Yarra Glen Rd.
